


The 12-Year Promise

by taeminyourmind



Category: K-pop, SHINee
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:08:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27180188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taeminyourmind/pseuds/taeminyourmind
Summary: Forced to move away, you and your best friend Taemin promise to meet again on your 25th birthday.
Relationships: Lee Taemin/Reader, Lee Taemin/You
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	The 12-Year Promise

** October 2006 **

A crisp autumn breeze commands the fallen leaves to dance along the uneven gravel road of your neighborhood. The street, once filled with children playing, is now silent as neighbors gather in front of your house to bid your family farewell.

You and Taemin hide behind a thick row of bushes behind your house, sitting side-by-side with faces of confusion and sadness. Every day, you wake up and pray that it was all a dream, but the brown boxes sitting on your desk with your name scribbled on the side in black sharpie mock you every morning. You could never forget the moment your mother brought the news down on you in a way only she could.

* * *

_ Rain hits against the window while you and your parents eat dinner in silence. The sound of utensils scraping against the ceramic plates makes you cringe, causing you to squirm in your seat. _

_ “___,” your mother monotonously says, “We’re moving at the end of the month.” _

_ Your eyes snap towards your mother who doesn’t bother making eye contact with neither you nor your father. You open your mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. You look to your father, hoping he can read your mind, but all he offers is a gentle hand on the shoulder and a soft smile. _

_ “Why?” You finally manage to say, though it comes out as a squeak. Your eyes leave your father and lands on your mother who wipes her mouth with the linen napkin, leaving her red lipstick stain on it. “Why?” _

_ “How many times must I remind you?” Your mother firmly asks, tossing the napkin on her empty plate. “I am the parent, and you are the child. And if I say we are doing something, you say ‘Okay mother’ not question me. Understood?” _

_ Your stomach does backflips as your mother’s eyebrow raises and lips pursed together. There is no need in fighting her, in arguing, because your words will fall on deaf ears. Instead, you shove your father’s hand off your shoulder and let your legs take you as far away from the house as possible. _

_ Your legs burn at your speed and your lungs feel like they’re about to explode. Your vision becomes blurred with burning tears before they slide down your cheeks. Though it’s hard to see, you follow your heart and find yourself outside the house of your best friend, Taemin. Many believe you became instant friends because you shared the same birthday and others believe it was the working of your stars and paths crossing at an early age. A friend since you were in diapers, a friend who never leaves your side, and a friend that you promised to marry if you were both still single at 25. With him, you were never alone and invisible; with Taemin, you were free to be who you were and felt loved. _

_ You throw pebbles against his window until you see his shadow move towards the window. Huge headphones are pressed against his ears when he opens his curtains and window. He opens his mouth to speak but closes it when he sees the look of defeat and distress painted on your face. He simply nods his head and you take off to Dollie’s, a place the two of you frequent, a place where you settle all your problems and plan your next adventure. Except for this time, you must tell your best friend that you’re moving far away, for good. _

* * *

“I don’t want you to go,” Taemin pouts, his hand unconsciously pulling at the grass beside him.

“I don’t want to go either,” you whisper while blinking to hold back your tears. “I want to stay here with you.”

Silence falls over the two of you as faint farewells are being said in the distance.

“Let’s promise to always be friends!” He exclaims with a beaming smile. “When we’re older, let’s meet again!”

A wide smile spreads across your face at his exclamation. If you were darkness, Taemin was light, always lifting spirits and showing optimism wherever he goes. Your smile becomes contagious as Taemin smiles back at you before facing ahead. His eyebrows furrow the longer he stares in the distance as if he’s focusing on something or someone. Following his trance, you take in the beauty of autumn’s hues of red, orange, brown, and yellow, a sight you wouldn’t see anytime soon.

“25!” Taemin says, making you look towards him in confusion. He brings a hand out of his pocket and holds up a quarter that glistens in the sunlight. “We’ll meet again when we’re 25 at Dollie’s!”

“Aren’t we supposed to be married by then?” You ask and snatch the quarter from his fingers. “What if my husband doesn’t want me meeting you?”

He cocks his head to the side with a mischievous smile. “But I will be your husband.”

A moment goes by before the two of you burst into laughter. You grab your stomach from how much you were laughing and get into a playful wrestling match until the harsh sound of your name makes the both of you stop. Your mother’s voice makes you shiver. Taemin looks at you with glossy eyes, mouthing ‘don’t go’ as you begin to stand.

“I...have to go,” you barely manage to croak while stuffing the quarter in your pocket.

Putting your back to him, Taemin wraps his arms around you, squeezing you while his fingers latch onto the fabric of your jacket. You manage to free yourself enough to face him and bring him into an embrace. Tears freely fall down your cheeks as you choke on your sobs. You squeeze your eyes close and try to remember this moment; the light floral scent of his clothes, the warmth of his embrace, his comforting voice, his soft facial expressions, and the taste of the shortbread cookie he gave you earlier.

“___!” Your mother shouts again.

“Noon,” Taemin quickly says when he feels you begin to pull away, leaving the coldness to replace your warmth. “We’ll meet at noon at Dollie’s when we turn 25! Promise me!”

“I promise,” you say, wiping the tears from your face. “I promise.” Turning, you sprint away from Taemin, leaving him to sink to the ground and cry into his knees. The only thing keeping his head up is your promise, a promise he will replay in his mind as the days go on.

* * *

** July 18, 2018 - 11:30 a.m. **

Aromas of freshly ground coffee, baked goods, and flowers fill Dollie’s while light upbeat instrumental music plays overhead. Taemin taps along to the beat while nervously looking towards the door each time the door opens. Each chime makes him sit straighter and when he realizes none of the people that walked through the door were you, he slumps a little and glances at his watch.

The steam from Taemin’s mug of coffee places soft kisses on his nose as he stares into its rich color.

“She’ll be here,” he whispers repeatedly to himself. “She promised.”

* * *

** July 18, 2018 - 12:15 p.m. **

Taemin watches the seconds pass on his watch as noon passes. Around him, people are busy with pleasant conversations leaving Taemin to daydream about what it would be like to have you in front of him so he could hear your voice.

The last glimmer of hope he has in his heart slowly loses its flame as he pushes his empty mug away from him. Part of him feels foolish for thinking you would remember a promise made 12 years ago and another part of him wonders if someone is keeping you from him. He hides his face in his palms and squeezes his eyes shut, his shoulders falling in defeat.

“Hi Ms. Ha, is Taemin still here?” A voice desperately asks between breaths.

The sound of his name makes Taemin pop his head up and look towards the front counter. Ms. Ha’s face lights up as she points in his direction. When your glance follows her direction, Taemin feels his breath hitch in his throat. Neither of you could contain the wide smiles spreading on your faces as you rush to his table.

When you’re a few feet away, Taemin jumps from his seat and pulls you into a warm embrace; his palms gently pressing in the middle of your back until his quick heartbeat can be felt against your chest. A small chuckle hums against your lips as you hold him close, nestling your face in the crook of his neck and feeling tears well in your eyes at the nostalgic scent of floral lingering on his clothes.

An unknown amount of time passes before Taemin invites you to sit with him. There was so much you wanted to say to one another, so many stories to tell, and so many I miss yous to you wanted to say, but those words get lodged in your throats. Instead, you exchange a warm smile and nervous chuckles while you examine one another, your eyes finding what’s changed about each other.

Taemin finds himself lovingly staring into your eyes, admiring the girl he’s missed for the past 12 years. Aside from your appearance, nothing has changed about you; your eyes and smile are still warm and your nose scrunches and eyes squint when you’re concentrated on something or someone.

“And a birthday candle for my twins,” Ms. ha sings before placing a coffeecake with powdered sugar in the middle of the table.

“You shouldn’t have,” you gasp while eyeing the delectable cake with wide eyes.

“Eat and enjoy you two,” she says while swatting in your direction. Turning away, she gives Taemin a playful wink before hurrying to the front of the house.

“Happy birthday, ___,” Taemin smiles while handing you a fork.

“Happy birthday, Tae,” You smile before devouring your half of the cake.

The moist cake melts in your mouth, causing you to sink in your seat in delight. As fast as the cake appeared, the cake was gone as you and Taemin lean back in your seats with a full stomach.

“I missed you, Tae,” you softly say while reaching across the table to place your hand on his. “How have you been?”

Your warm hands cause Taemin to shiver slightly while he gets lost in your eyes once more. Your question makes him stop for a moment to think; how has he been? It’s been so long since he’s taken care of himself and even longer since someone asked how he was.

You can see the internal struggle in his eyes. His eyes fall away from you and to the empty plate, his eyebrows furrowing in contemplation. Every now and then, he opens his mouth to speak but hesitates and closes it again.

“Talk to me, Taemin,” you whisper while leaning forward, your hand shaking against his to grab his attention. “You’re in front of me, but your eyes are distant.”

“I’ve just been stressed lately,” he begins, squirming in his seat. “I’m studying for my master and I’m worried about failing.”

Concern falls on you while you watch your friend express his troubles. His words pour from his mouth and tears of frustration well in his eyes, though they don’t fall.

“You’ll make it,” you say reassuringly. “I know you’ll make it.” You pause for a moment and take in his tense posture. Deep in thought, you finally look back towards the boy and smile. “You’re coming over for dinner tonight. I’m going to cook something special.”

Taemin smiles and shakes his head. “Don’t you live a few hours away?”

“Correction. I now live 30 minutes from here.”

You and Taemin exchange an excited smile before he places his free hand on top of yours and gives it a gentle squeeze. His soft eyes make you blush before nodding his head.

“Okay, let’s go.”

* * *

The day gradually transforms to night as the infinite stars in the sky twinkle against the black canvas. With your legs placed over his, you and Taemin make yourselves comfortable on your couch with a glass of wine.

“How was it, moving away?” Taemin hesitantly asks, causing your face to fall for a moment.

“Hard. My parents got divorced not long after the move and my mother decided it was best I stay with her. But you know how she is, overbearing, a workaholic, and insensitive. I couldn’t take it anymore! I ran away to my father’s, but she never came after me. From that moment, I swore to myself three things, I would never turn into her, marry someone like her, and never become a mother like her. Since then, I’ve just been trying to find myself and my purpose in life, you know?”

Taemin soothingly rubs your leg while giving you a gentle smile. “I know.”

As the moon rises higher in the sky, your conversations with Taemin become more personal the more you allow yourselves to be vulnerable. Between his and your worries and fears about the life ahead of you, it’s a miracle neither of you has developed gray hair. 

Even in these moments, Taemin found himself falling for you, flaws and all. Everyone could see he had a crush on you when you were younger, and he’s held onto the thought of meeting you one day and how it would feel seeing you again after so long. It’s better than he imagined. While you poured your heart out, his eyes moved across your face, trying to burn your face in his mind. He wanted to remember you, the way you looked, and the way you make him feel.

“I’ve talked too much,” you apologetically say.

“I haven’t seen you in 12 years, I don’t mind.”

You hide your flustered smile by taking a sip from your glass. You find yourself looking over the rim and find yourself thinking of Taemin as more than a friend. What would your relationship look like if you stayed? Would you still be friends? Lovers? Married? Strangers? The past is over and only the present lingers while the future lies ahead. You have to get your mind off of Taemin.

“Look at the time,” you say, pointing to the clock that reads 1 a.m. “It’s too late for you to go back. You can sleep in my room -”

“Where are you going to sleep?” Taemin abruptly interrupts with slight disappointment in his voice.

You pat a spot on the couch. “On the couch.” Setting your glass down, you stand and help Taemin off the couch, leading him to your room. “I’ll put out extra blankets in case you get cold.”

Standing near your room’s doorway, Taemin watched you scurry about, pulling out numerous blankets and throwing the decorative pillows to the side. Though he sees your mouth move, he’s too focused on understanding his feelings for you to hear what you’re saying.

“Stay with me,” he blurts, causing you to stop in your tracks. “Just like the sleepovers we had when we were younger.”

Memories of blanket forts lined with pillows and flashlights flash before your eyes as you remember the two of you competing on who could tell the scariest story and talking about kid stuff like school, parents, and the latest episode of your favorite cartoons. With a blink, you’re transported back to your room with Taemin gazing at you with bright eyes. He opens his mouth to apologize but closes it when you nod.

“I’ll stay with you,” you sheepishly say with a soft smile. “Just like we used to.”

\--

You and Taemin face each other under the warmth of your blanket, though it feels warmer because of how close your bodies were. The moonlight seeping through the gaps of your bedroom blinds, striping the room and giving little light. But even in the room’s dimness, Taemin’s eyes shine brightly as they gaze into yours.

There were things you wanted to say to each other, both friendly and amorous. Your complicated feelings create raging waves in your stomach, threatening to crash into you. But there were too many times in your life where you’ve held yourself back by listening to this uneasy feeling and not your own desires.

Being here with Taemin, his body so close to yours that his shallow breaths tickle your nose. Under his loving stare, you feel exposed while his eyes trace over your face. You inch yourself closer to his body and gently glide your thumbpad across his soft lips. His fingers gently wrap around your wrist, stilling it before kissing it. Your heart thumps harder under his touch. No matter how many times you try to deny yourself of feeling anything romantic towards him, they come back stronger.

“Marry me,” he whispers. His hand guides yours towards his chest, allowing you to feel his heartbeat.

The word ‘marry’ transports you back to the playground at school. Hidden behind a tree were you and Taemin, holding hands and promising to marry each other when you turned 25. And now, you’re lying beside your best friend after 12 years, feeling his heartbeat under his careful gaze, as he remembers one of his promises.

A smile slowly spreads across your face as you inch closer to his face until your forehead rests against his. “Okay.”

Leaning forward, Taemin’s lips press against yours, passionately moving across yours, inviting you to join in the dance. Your fingers latch to the front of his shirt while you deepen the kiss, your breath temporarily seizing when his tongue glides pass your lips. The taste of his cherry chapstick enters your mouth, teasing you to go deeper. He softly moans against your lips when your tongue dances around his while his fingers gently massage your lower back.

Gentle whispers of “I missed you” spill from your lips before Taemin slowly pulls away. His lips are slightly red and plump, slightly parted as he catches his breath. Over and over he says he really missed you and how much he loves you. His sweet words make your cheeks grow warm as you softly push his bangs out his face. The flame of his eyes flickers in affection as he hesitates to say the words he wants to say.

But you know what Taemin wants, and you want it as well. Leaning forward, you latch your lips to the side of his neck, placing tender wet kisses on the crook of his neck. His soft moans turn to groans when your hand slips down his sweatpants and begin to massage his member. He sharply gasps through clenched teeth when you firmly grip his member and pump him, ensuring every inch feels your touch.

“___,” Taemin breathlessly whines, his hips rocking in sync with your hand.

His eyes flutter shut and his lips slightly part when you teasingly make light circles on his tip. A mischievous smirk spreading on your face fades when Taemin’s hand slides down your pants. His fingers spread your lips while his middle finger glides from your entrance to your clit, spreading your wetness. Your movements pause at the feeling of his finger flicking your clit. You try to suppress your moans but fail when his deep voice whispers in your ear.

“You’re so wet.”

His middle and ring finger carefully push through your entrance, curling once they’re in. Your hand around his member grips tighter at the sensation, creating more friction as he thrust forward. It doesn’t take long until you feel a wetness coat your fingers. As if connected, you both removed your hand from each other’s bodies. Your wetness that coats Taemin’s fingers shines in the dim light before he pushes them in your mouth, his eyebrows furrowing while he moans at the feeling of your tongue sensually licking his fingers clean.

Slowly, Taemin removes yours and his pants, his eyes never leaving yours. Grabbing the back of your thigh, he lifts your leg over his waist while his other hand guides his erected maybe to your entrance. Your walls tighten at the feeling of his tip gliding back and forth between your lips. Slowly, he guides his member inside you, thrusting upward until he finds shelter in between your walls.

Taemin’s presence prompts you to let out a lengthy moan, closing your eyes to feel every inch of him. His hands anchor your hips in place as he begins to slowly thrust upwards, going deeper while he places lovebites on the top of your breasts. ‘Yes’ drips from your lips over and over as he thrusts one last time and grinds into you, ensuring every inch feels his length. Your walls tighten and toes curl while you hold him close to your chest, your moans turning into whines as you feel yourself edging closer to the edge. This powerful feeling makes you want to pull away, but the feeling of euphoria makes you stay, enduring the overwhelming pleasure.

Taemin knows you’re close, your walls squeezing around him, ready to milk his seed. He hisses when your nails break his skin, but he doesn’t mind. Pulling your tank top down, he admires your breasts and hardened nipples before latching his lips around them. His teeth softly graze your nipple before his tongue swirls around it, causing shivers to travel up your spine.

Cupping his face to bring it to yours, you place sloppy kisses against his lips before gaining enough strength to roll on top of him. As your lips move together in sync, you slowly bounce up and down. Moaning into the kiss, Taemin’s hands caress your breasts, his fingers teasingly pulling at your nipples.

His hands stay on your breasts when you sit up as you begin to slowly rock your hips back and forth. The hunger in his eyes makes the knot in your stomach tighten. Your eyes never leave his when you slide your fingers down and rub circles on your clit. Your chest quickly rises and falls because of the pleasure, causing you to lean your head back. Faster, you rub your clit as you feel yourself about to fall off the edge. Your eyes slightly roll back when you feel the knot break, Taemin’s name falling from your lips followed by deep breaths.

Reaching up, Taemin brings you down until your chest is against his, your skin sticking together. His arms lock you in place as he plants his heels in the bed and thrusts upward. He grunts in your ear, wanting to quicken his speed but controlling himself to take things slow to make this euphoric feeling last longer. His thrusts become shaky as his grip around you tightens. The sweet touch of your lips against his neck allows him to let loose as he thrusts up once more and spurts his seed inside you, your walls milking him for every drop.

His soft grunts subside as he tries to calm himself, slowly rocking his hips to come down from his high. When his grip around you loosens, you sit up enough to see his face - flushed and glistening with sweat. You exchange a tired smile before you remove yourself from his member that’s now coated in a mixture of yours and his orgasm.

Falling beside Taemin, his arms immediately embrace you, pulling you closer until your head rests against his chest. The morning’s bright light replaces the moonlight, painting the room in a warm hue. He presses a gentle kiss on the top of your head as he holds you tighter, afraid that this is just a dream.

“I guess there’s only one more question to ask,” Taemin says after a moment of silence. Your eyebrows furrow as you look up in curiosity to which he gives a sweet smile. “When’s the wedding?”


End file.
